Lode on high alert after lightning sparks fires

Thursday

Sep 6, 2012 at 12:01 AM

SAN ANDREAS - The National Weather Service on Wednesday afternoon issued a critical fire weather alert for a vast region of Northern California as lightning strikes ignited at least seven wildfires in Calaveras and Tuolumne counties.

The Record

SAN ANDREAS - The National Weather Service on Wednesday afternoon issued a critical fire weather alert for a vast region of Northern California as lightning strikes ignited at least seven wildfires in Calaveras and Tuolumne counties.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit reported that its crews were able to limit most of those fires to less than an acre burned.

The largest, the Salt incident near Salt Spring Valley Road and Hunt Road, about 13 miles north of Copperopolis, blackened about 50 acres before crews could stop its spread. No structures were threatened.

The Weather Service said the "red flag" fire weather alert would extend into this morning as subtropical moisture moved through the region.

The Weather Service said the disturbance moving from the Pacific into California was a remnant of Tropical Storm John.

The Weather Service warned that many of the lightning storms expected in Northern California through today would likely have little moisture and high winds - a perfect formula to fan wildfires.

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